The combination of period fiction and fantasy has become a genre unto itself in recent years, but in 2026, we find ourselves between Game of Thrones spin-offs, with The Wheel of Time cancelled, and Vikings and Carnival Row ended. This makes it the perfect time to revisit Britannia, an under-the-radar gem making a timely debut on SBS On Demand.
Set in the wild, untamed lands of Britain in 43AD, Britannia is a clash of historical fiction with epic warfare and a dash of dark fantasy.
Britannia promises to hook you in from the get-go, opening the action with an ominous title sequence: “In 55BC, Julius Caesar invaded Britannia seeking to exploit the island’s legendary tin deposits. He came face to face with another legend: the druids. He went straight home. Nine decades later, the Romans are back.”
When the Roman armies return, somewhat reluctantly, they're under the rule of a new commander, Aulus Plautius. A general as determined as he is brutal, Plautius won’t hesitate to employ violence, but he’s strategic about it. He knows the best way to succeed where Caesar failed isn’t through outright conquest, but negotiation, and in the Druids, he sees the key to secrets far beyond just Britannia.
Upon arriving in Britain, the Romans find it already at war. Tensions between the Celtic dynasties have left the land divided, as the Cantii King and the Regni Queen fight for dominance. Their feud trickles down through their bloodlines, as their families scheme to strengthen or break the tenuous alliances between their tribes. The Roman invasion only adds fuel to this fire, as the Celts are suddenly forced to find new allies and to betray their own in the quest for power and survival.
Outside of this drama is an unlikely pairing between the young Cantii teen, Cait (Eleanor Worthington-Cox), and the loner, Divis (Nikolaj Lie Kaas). Divis is an outcast of the Druids, but his mysterious visions lead him on a quest to prove that the Roman invasion is linked to a realm beyond that of men.
Speaking of the Druids, these fearsome mystical beings supposedly turned the Romans running for the hills 90 years prior. In Britannia, the Druids are imagined as far more than the religious authoritarians from history. Here, they are malignant sorcerers, weaponising foresight, conjuring demons, and manipulating minds to cement their authority. The Druids are feared, revered, and mysterious. They add a layer of supernatural intrigue to Britannia, energising this fictional historical retelling.
Although it should be noted that there is an emphasis on the fiction in Britannia. While the series does take place during a specific period of history, featuring a real figure, Aulus Plautius, drama is prioritised over accuracy. History buffs may be put off, but this is also what allows Britannia to stand out, as it goes beyond a factual retelling to blend history with fantasy.
Britannia offers an alternative path to Vikings, Witchers, and dragons, inviting audiences into an unmissable, fantastical vision of history.
What makes Britannia even more compelling is the series’ talent. Britannia is co-created by Jez and Tom Butterworth, the former of whom gained huge critical acclaim for his play, "The Ferryman", a Tony-award-winning story that became the fastest-selling play in the Royal Court Theatre’s history upon its debut. Butterworth is an expert at merging the mythical with the mundane and grounding exaggerated characters in humanity. His writing pedigree covers everything, from credits on the Oscar-nominated Ford v Ferrari to franchise epics like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and the James Bond film, Spectre.
While watching Britannia, it’s hard to ignore the frequent familiar faces. Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly, known for playing the tough-as-nails Beth Dutton, stars as Princess Kerra, a warrior with an equal amount of spirit, who longs to be free from her father, King Pellenor’s, restrictive clutches. Pellenor is played by none other than Star Wars’ evil Emperor, Ian McDiarmid, who is in a bitter rivalry with Zoe Wanamaker’s (Mr. Selfridge, Harry Potter) Regni Queen, Antedia.
Britannia’s most fearsome and ancient Druid, Vera, is played with cunning and reverence by Pirates of the Caribbean star Mackenzie Cook, and David Morrissey brings the ruthlessness of his Walking Dead character to Aulus Plautius. Everywhere you look in Britannia, you’ll find a recognisable face, whether it’s a three-episode stint from Morning Wars’ Aaron Pierre, or a series-long arc from David Bradley (Game of Thrones, Harry Potter).
At first glance, it might seem that Britannia simply set out to fill a void left by Game of Thrones during its 2018-2021 three-season run. But being patient with the show through its substantial setup, it reveals something that is Thrones-like, yet still manages to find fresh and exciting ground.
Britannia is a melting pot of genres. It fuses swords-and-shields violence, familial drama, warring dynasties, unexpected humour, and supernatural otherworldliness, and spins it into three seasons' worth of compelling mythical drama. Britannia offers an alternative path to Vikings, Witchers, and dragons, inviting audiences into an unmissable, fantastical vision of history.
Britannia is now streaming at SBS On Demand.
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Britannia
